Sunday, May 25, 2008

Favorite TV Chef for Weekend Cookbook Challenge

My friend Sara of I Like to Cook is the force behind Weekend Cookbook Challenge, one of my all time favorite food blogging events. I'm only sorry I don't join in the fun more often than I do. Where does the time go?

This month the theme is TV Cooks and...well, since I'm hooked on Foodtv, how could I NOT join in the fun. So I sat on my couch and pulled out books by my three favorite tv chefs...Ina Garten, who is the Barefoot Contessa, Nigellaand Jamie Oliver. All the books were yelling "Pick me! Pick me!" and I almost decided to go with Nigella - the Hot Bocconcini from Feast looks awesome and I did run out to buy baby bocconcini and panko crumbs....so you know those will be made and gobbled up this week. Check back during the week for the recipe.

But, somehow...nothing really struck my fancy and then I thought about Ming Tsaiand his show East Meets West that I used to watch religiously. You can follow him in some parts of the world, just not on Foodtv. And I happen to have a fantastic book of his...Simply Ming. So many wonderful and easy dishes...so many great choices.

But the clock is ticking to the WCC deadline and it's finally glorious here in Halifax - sunny and 19 degrees C and a little boy wants to play with us. Isn't he cute with his first big boy haircut?

So his mummy and I will be making our version of his ma po tofu tonight with ground chicken rather than pork. That said it will probably be too late for the roundup. The stir fry itself is very simple. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet. Add the ground meat, scallions and stir fry breaking up the meat, until it's no longer pink.

Add (about 1/3 cup for 1 lb/500g ground meat) Fermented Black Bean & Garlic Sauce(I did have time to make some yesterday and it's great). Add the tofu, gently so it won't turn to mush. I also added some red peppers before the black bean sauce for color and crunch. The sauce is awesome and, with the exception of the fermented black beans (which are easy to order on line and keep forever), all the ingredients can be found at your local grocery store no matter where you live. I can't wait to try it added to shrimp.

Ming has some other fantastic looking stir fries using the black bean garlic sauce that will definitely be on our menu soon - beef & eggplant, stir fried clams over pasta (perfect for Presto Pasta Night). I love his cooking style - very Asian American fusion, and very simple to prepare. The book, which is fantastic with beautiful photos and lots of tips, is organized by what he calls "Master Recipes" - like the Black Bean & Garlic Sauce and my other favorite...Citrus Herb Rub, which I particularly love on fish.

But just in case you need a fix from my other fave TV chefs...Barefoot Contessa: Chicken Piccata